PITTSFIELD SELECT BOARD BUDGET MEETING MINUTES
To listen to a recording of the meeting please click here: https://bit.ly/3NJEsWC
DATE: October 24, 2024
PRESENT: Ann Kuendig, Joyce Stevens, AJ Ruben
PUBLIC PRESENT: Trish Abbondelo
AGENDA MODIFICATIONS: OB#2: PACIF Renewal; edits update
APPROVE MINUTES: October 10, 2024 Budget Meeting
CORRESPONDENCE:
1. VLCT – Dues Response
2. Green-Up VT – donation request
OLD BUSINESS:
1. Budget – General Fund line items
2. Insurance – PACIF renewal
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Finance – Discuss FY24-25 Audit
2. Budget – Highway
3. Finance – CD renewals
ADJOURN:
NEXT MEETING DATES:
· Regular: November 7, 2024; Town Hall; 5:30pm
· Budget: November 14, 2024; Town Office; 5:00pm
Ann called the meeting to order at 5:02pm. Seconded by Joyce. All in favor. She noted an Agenda Modification (see above). The Minutes of the October 10th meeting were approved at the last meeting but were not there for signing. They were signed tonight. George Deblon was present to participate in the discussion of the Highway Budget. Ann moved that NB#2 be taken out of order.
CORRESPONDENCE:
1. VLCT – Dues Response. Ann asked if the secretary had sent a donation request letter to VLCT. She had, so was told that no group the Board sends money to for dues, does not warrant a letter each year regarding Town Report. But Ann added that they sent a nice thank you letter.
2. Green-Up Day – This letter is in response to the letter recently sent to service providers for donation requests. Ann said that they are requesting $50.00.
Pittsfield Select Board Budget Meeting Minutes page 2
October 24, 2024
OLD BUSINESS:
1. Budget – General Fund line items. The Board reviewed the Saguaro Technologies contract for IT services. There was discussion on several items and their review of some of the software used. A question arose regarding Audio Conferencing. Trish said she would look into this.
2. Insurance – PACIF renewal. The Select Board explained that they were questioning the agreed-to figures suggested for the bandstand and the veterans’ memorial stone. The Board felt the bandstand was underassessed and suggested $60,000.00 and leave the stone as it is. Trish reminded the Board that if the numbers are raised, the annual bill to the Town would increase as well.
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Finance – Discuss FY24-25 Audit. There was a discussion about who should manage the RFP. Joyce asked to have this put on the next budget meeting’s agenda. Also have Trish review the RFP and discuss more at the next meeting.
2. Budget – Highway. George said he had something else to say before they began looking over his budget. He had handouts explaining that on October 7th, a Home Depot tractor trailer was making a delivery on Hawk Mountain Road and went off the road. The driver had removed the forklift to assist in removing the truck, but it ended up down an embankment and upside down. George noted that there was considerable damage done to the road by the trucks there to help remove the Home Depot truck and forklift. He presented an invoice from Harvey’s Plumbing and Excavating ($808.40) for road material and gave the Board the hours and cost for the Mack town truck ($180.00) and grader ($240.00). The Board discussed the billing of the incident to Home Depot’s insurance and have them forward it.
Geoge said that as far as he’s concerned, he would keep everything on the budget the same. He did have a few concerns though. He said that roadside mowing has been a problem, and he doesn’t know what he will do next year.
He said it’s hard to find anyone with a mower to rent/borrow. George gave a brief history of the Town’s roadside mowing. Joyce suggested leaving this item on the budget for now. George said he would check out some other options and speak with a few more people.
Temporary Help: $5,250.00 was budgeted last year. It will be kept the same.
Fuel: It was decided to keep the gasoline at $500.00 but reduce the Diesel to $2,000.00.
Hired Equipment: Rochester Road Maintenance will stay the same. Backhoe: George said he plans to use it more. No cost was presented. Trucks: keep the same. All Other: keep the same. Materials: Gravel will remain the same. Sand will remain the same. Salt will be zeroed out as the Town doesn’t use it anymore. Chloride was reduced to $6,500.00. Culverts reduced to $6,000.00
and Guardrails/Signs will remain the same.
Other: Garage Supplies reduced to $1,500.00, MRGP Annual Fee kept the same, Miscellaneous reduced to $750.00 and Tree Trimming increased to $6,000.00.
Repairs: It was decided to keep the items in this category the same. A few potential projects were discussed and the best way to fund them.
3. Finance – CD renewals. Trish says the Reappraisal/record preservation CD comes up for renewal November 16 and she is suggesting rolling over principal and interest ($38,425.67) in the Reappraisal fund and adding a $5,000 deposit. She also suggested rolling over the principal and interest ($16,837.85) in the Record Preservation fund and adding a $1,500 deposit. The CD would
4.
Pittsfield Select Board Budget Meeting Minutes page 3
October 24, 2024
be renewed for 3 months at 4.25 interest. The Contingency Fund CD comes due February. Joyce moved to approve investment. AJ seconded. All in favor.
NEXT MEETING DATES:
· Regular: November 7, 2024; Town Hall; 5:30pm
· Budget: November 14, 2024; Town Office; 5:00pm
As tonight’s business was addressed, Ann moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:35pm. Seconded by Joyce. All in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha L. Beyersdorf
Approved: November 14, 2024
/ /
Ann Kuendig Joyce Stevens A.J. Ruben
To listen to a recording of the meeting please click here: https://bit.ly/3NJEsWC
DATE: October 24, 2024
PRESENT: Ann Kuendig, Joyce Stevens, AJ Ruben
PUBLIC PRESENT: Trish Abbondelo
AGENDA MODIFICATIONS: OB#2: PACIF Renewal; edits update
APPROVE MINUTES: October 10, 2024 Budget Meeting
CORRESPONDENCE:
1. VLCT – Dues Response
2. Green-Up VT – donation request
OLD BUSINESS:
1. Budget – General Fund line items
2. Insurance – PACIF renewal
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Finance – Discuss FY24-25 Audit
2. Budget – Highway
3. Finance – CD renewals
ADJOURN:
NEXT MEETING DATES:
· Regular: November 7, 2024; Town Hall; 5:30pm
· Budget: November 14, 2024; Town Office; 5:00pm
Ann called the meeting to order at 5:02pm. Seconded by Joyce. All in favor. She noted an Agenda Modification (see above). The Minutes of the October 10th meeting were approved at the last meeting but were not there for signing. They were signed tonight. George Deblon was present to participate in the discussion of the Highway Budget. Ann moved that NB#2 be taken out of order.
CORRESPONDENCE:
1. VLCT – Dues Response. Ann asked if the secretary had sent a donation request letter to VLCT. She had, so was told that no group the Board sends money to for dues, does not warrant a letter each year regarding Town Report. But Ann added that they sent a nice thank you letter.
2. Green-Up Day – This letter is in response to the letter recently sent to service providers for donation requests. Ann said that they are requesting $50.00.
Pittsfield Select Board Budget Meeting Minutes page 2
October 24, 2024
OLD BUSINESS:
1. Budget – General Fund line items. The Board reviewed the Saguaro Technologies contract for IT services. There was discussion on several items and their review of some of the software used. A question arose regarding Audio Conferencing. Trish said she would look into this.
2. Insurance – PACIF renewal. The Select Board explained that they were questioning the agreed-to figures suggested for the bandstand and the veterans’ memorial stone. The Board felt the bandstand was underassessed and suggested $60,000.00 and leave the stone as it is. Trish reminded the Board that if the numbers are raised, the annual bill to the Town would increase as well.
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Finance – Discuss FY24-25 Audit. There was a discussion about who should manage the RFP. Joyce asked to have this put on the next budget meeting’s agenda. Also have Trish review the RFP and discuss more at the next meeting.
2. Budget – Highway. George said he had something else to say before they began looking over his budget. He had handouts explaining that on October 7th, a Home Depot tractor trailer was making a delivery on Hawk Mountain Road and went off the road. The driver had removed the forklift to assist in removing the truck, but it ended up down an embankment and upside down. George noted that there was considerable damage done to the road by the trucks there to help remove the Home Depot truck and forklift. He presented an invoice from Harvey’s Plumbing and Excavating ($808.40) for road material and gave the Board the hours and cost for the Mack town truck ($180.00) and grader ($240.00). The Board discussed the billing of the incident to Home Depot’s insurance and have them forward it.
Geoge said that as far as he’s concerned, he would keep everything on the budget the same. He did have a few concerns though. He said that roadside mowing has been a problem, and he doesn’t know what he will do next year.
He said it’s hard to find anyone with a mower to rent/borrow. George gave a brief history of the Town’s roadside mowing. Joyce suggested leaving this item on the budget for now. George said he would check out some other options and speak with a few more people.
Temporary Help: $5,250.00 was budgeted last year. It will be kept the same.
Fuel: It was decided to keep the gasoline at $500.00 but reduce the Diesel to $2,000.00.
Hired Equipment: Rochester Road Maintenance will stay the same. Backhoe: George said he plans to use it more. No cost was presented. Trucks: keep the same. All Other: keep the same. Materials: Gravel will remain the same. Sand will remain the same. Salt will be zeroed out as the Town doesn’t use it anymore. Chloride was reduced to $6,500.00. Culverts reduced to $6,000.00
and Guardrails/Signs will remain the same.
Other: Garage Supplies reduced to $1,500.00, MRGP Annual Fee kept the same, Miscellaneous reduced to $750.00 and Tree Trimming increased to $6,000.00.
Repairs: It was decided to keep the items in this category the same. A few potential projects were discussed and the best way to fund them.
3. Finance – CD renewals. Trish says the Reappraisal/record preservation CD comes up for renewal November 16 and she is suggesting rolling over principal and interest ($38,425.67) in the Reappraisal fund and adding a $5,000 deposit. She also suggested rolling over the principal and interest ($16,837.85) in the Record Preservation fund and adding a $1,500 deposit. The CD would
4.
Pittsfield Select Board Budget Meeting Minutes page 3
October 24, 2024
be renewed for 3 months at 4.25 interest. The Contingency Fund CD comes due February. Joyce moved to approve investment. AJ seconded. All in favor.
NEXT MEETING DATES:
· Regular: November 7, 2024; Town Hall; 5:30pm
· Budget: November 14, 2024; Town Office; 5:00pm
As tonight’s business was addressed, Ann moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:35pm. Seconded by Joyce. All in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha L. Beyersdorf
Approved: November 14, 2024
/ /
Ann Kuendig Joyce Stevens A.J. Ruben
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